The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1887-04-03
CADAyERS FOR STUDENTS,
How the Material Is Received and Treated
Purchasing Arms and Legs.

How the Material Is Received and Treated
Purchasing Arms and Legs.
Special to the Indianapolis journal.
NEW YORK, April 1.-The subject of the sup
ply and treatment of human bodies to the Col
lege of Physicians and Surgeons for dissection
has been somewhat laboriously investigated by
your correspondent. This is the leading or
thodox medical institution of the city. Scientific
progress is assured by the laws of New York
State to the extent that bodies of the unknown
dead and under certain conditions those of the
pauper dead, are turned over TO reputable med
cal institutions for the purposes of dissection
The College OF Physicians and Surgeons utilizes
more than three hundred corpses a year in this
way. The process of receiving this material has
been watched in person by the writer. When
iantor Hicks and assistant Mike had rolled
several barrels into the injecting room, they
took down half dozen shelves and placed them
on the floor. After removing cadaver from a
barrel they laid it out on the shelf and then
raised the shelf to table where they left it. and
turned to the next subject. Before all the bar
rels were emptied they found that there was not
lin on the tables for all of them.
and Hicks accordingly proceeded to en-
balm those already laid out He took
down . gigantic piston syringe and filed it with
a solution of plaster Of paris. This done, he laid
the syring aside for moment, cut cash in the
artery that runs up the neck where one may feel
a strong pulse beat. Then followed hard push
on the piston, which sent the embalming fluid
all through the body. 1t was evident very
quickly, for the solution is pink, and in mo-
ment the arteries in all parts of the body could
be traced by pink line. The embalming prop
erlv done, Hicks and Mike lifted the shelf with
the cadaver on it to place against the wall.
There it was left entirely nude and marked
except by its own blood from the accidental and
intended decorations it had undergone The
next step was TO transport the cadavers to the
disseeting- room upstairs. A rope was cast
about the upper part of dead body and tied
| under the arms. One man took hold of the end
! of tbs rope and the other of the legs and trunk,
| and in this way, with good deal of jolting
| against the walls and stumbling the stairs.
they got their burden into the dssecting room.
| This contains thirty tables. Janitor Hicks and
| Mike finished their evenings task when they had
placed q cadaver on each of the tables that hap
/ pened to be empty.
1t takes about three weeks for body to 60
| through the dissecting room. The professor of
| anatomy posts notice. material for dissec-
ton will be furnished to the following gentlemen
on -day," with list of students. The fee of
| 81 entities the student to one part of the body,
| which is divided into FIVE parasitic head. the
right arm, the left arm. the right leg and the
left leg Discrimination to the distribution
of the respective parts is made according pri-
| GRITTY of application When student pays his
fee of dollar he says. for instance This is
for right arm" aud then, if there are not
more previous applications for right arms than
there cadavers TO fill the demand. the pro-
| fessor gratites his desire If, on the other
hand the part he asks for is lacking for any
reason, the student has TO take what he can get
In such case 1T is not lnfrequent expedent
of the student TO advertise for the desired part,
Offering to exchange. for instance. left leg for
a right arm with ST. bonus But the head is the
most popular part and the demand is always
greater than the supply. This fact accounts for
such advertisements as this that may be seen
occasionally posted in the college hallway:
.Wanted-A head. Will give FIVE dollars.
Demetrius Cuttemup.' Five students then work
together on a cadaver. They may do all the